“The Gospel Demands Passionate Urgency and Passionate Sacrifical Giving”

John 4 (NIV) Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

31Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” 33Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” 34“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.

35Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe (white) for harvest. 36Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labour.”

39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers. 42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world.”

The Gospel Demands a Passionate Urgency Christ's Passionate Urgency for the lost person trumps all our cultural and all our religious traditions.

The Gospel Demands a Passionate Urgency Colossians 2:8 (NIV) See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

The Gospel Demands a Passionate Urgency John 17:3 (NIV) Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

The Gospel Demands a Passionate Urgency Passionate urgency does not come from what we know. It comes only from who we know!

The Gospel Demands a Passionate Urgency Matthew 4:4 (NIV) Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

The Gospel Demands a Passionate Urgency Psalm 40:8 (NIV) I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.”

The Gospel Demands a Passionate Urgency Joel 3:13 (NIV) Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow— so great is their wickedness!”

The Gospel Demands a Passionate Urgency Revelation 14:15 (NIV) Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.”

The Gospel Demands a Passionate Urgency Isaiah 9:3 “You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy. They rejoice before you as people rejoice at harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.”

The Gospel Demands a Passionate Urgency The reality is that we all frequent the farm, but most of us rarely pray for God to put us to work in it!

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving Luke 16:14 (NIV) The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. Luke 16:15 (NIV) He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving Luke 16:19–31 (NIV) “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving 22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving 25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family,

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving 1 GOD RESPONDS TO THE NEEDS OF THE POOR WITH COMPASSION. 1 Samuel 2:8 (NIV) He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honour.

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving Luke 7:20–22 (NIV) When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’ ” …22So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor."

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving 2. GOD RESPONDS TO THOSE WHO NEGLECT THE POOR WITH CONDEMNATION

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving Deuteronomy 15:7–8 (NIV) If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. 8Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need…

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving 10 Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving 11There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. (cf. Isaiah 3:13-24; Jeremiah 5:26- 31; Ezekiel 16:48-50; Amos 2:6; 4:1; 8:3).

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving Luke 6:20–24 (NIV) Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh... 24“But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving 2 choices… 1. WE CAN CONTINUE IN HOLLOW RELIGION AND NEGLECT THE POOR.

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving James 2:14–17 (NIV) What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving 2. WE CAN TURN IN HONEST REPENTANCE TO CARE FOR THE POOR.

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving 2 Corinthians 8:9 “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.”

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